PhD in Electrical Engineering, alongside your job.
A field in which industrial practice and research are closely intertwined. This makes it easier to identify a research topic but raises the question of how to distinguish it from development work.
PhD theses in electrical engineering often lie at the intersection of applied and fundamental research: power electronics, control engineering, embedded systems, sensor technology and energy systems. For working professionals, measurement data and real-world systems provide the entry point. It is crucial that the research contribution is generalisable and suitable for publication.
What makes for a viable topic
A development project becomes a dissertation when you explain a behaviour, generalise a process or quantify a limit that previously existed only as an empirical value. The litmus test: does your statement also apply to other configurations, or only to yours?
Typical fields: efficiency and losses in inverters, control strategies, reliability and ageing of components, signal processing, sensor technology, grid integration of renewable energy generation, communication in distributed systems.
Ensure that the topic transcends the specific hardware configuration. A question tied to a single generation of chips will become obsolete whilst you are working on it.
What the methodology requires
Measurement, simulation and modelling are interlinked. A model without validation is unconvincing; a series of measurements without a model explains nothing. The combination is the norm.
Operational data is valuable but noisy. Pre-processing, outlier handling and uncertainty analysis form part of the methodology and the timetable, not a footnote.
Document the measurement setup in such a way that someone without access to your laboratory can understand it. This is the fundamental prerequisite for reproducibility.
Admission and requirements
The faculty’s doctoral regulations are binding. Institutions regularly check for the following in this subject area:
Typical hurdles
Operational data contains gaps, disruptions and changing boundary conditions. This can be managed, but it takes time and requires a methodical approach.
Measurement campaigns compete with delivery deadlines. Agree on time slots early on and make them binding.
A topic that is too narrow becomes outdated whilst being worked on. The question should be broader than the component itself.
In many sub-fields, the discourse takes place at conferences. Those who do not attend lose touch and miss out on feedback.
What the degree means in your career
In development, system architecture and technical management, the degree serves as proof that you not only apply a field but have a deep understanding of it. In expert reports, standardisation bodies and research collaborations, it is often the ticket to entry.
There is also a side effect that many underestimate: a network within the academic community of your own field, which is also valuable to the company.
How we support you
We refine the research question, assess it against the current state of research, scrutinise the methodology for feasibility, evaluate the doctoral regulations of your target faculty and facilitate contact with a supervisor. We align the timetable with your actual schedule.
You write the thesis yourself. The university alone decides on admission, examination and the award of the degree. All institutions we work with are listed in anabin with H+ status.
Frequently asked questions.
Can I do a PhD using company data?+
Yes, provided you have authorisation and handle data quality and methodological uncertainties in a rigorous manner.
Do I need access to a laboratory?+
Not necessarily. Many theses combine field measurements with simulation.
Which faculty is responsible?+
Usually Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, though depending on the topic it may also be Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science or Energy Engineering.
How do I find a supervisor in this field?+
Through publications on your topic. Conferences are the quickest way to make initial contact.
Are patents an obstacle?+
No, but timing is crucial: you must file the application before publication, otherwise the right to protection is lost.
Is a cumulative PhD thesis possible?+
In many faculties, yes – through peer-reviewed conference papers and journal articles. The regulations specify what counts.
Related.
Free initial consultation, with no obligation.
15 minutes online: We’ll discuss your current situation, a potential topic and the best way forward.
Please fill in your contact details in the form. We’ll call you back and sort out all the details during the call.